Strathcan Militia - Part 2 - Strathcan Militia Field Operatives

 

Overview

Field operatives in the Strathcan Militia represent the disciplined edge of civilization in a world gone wild. In a setting where magic is chaotic, the Militia places its faith in precision, preparation, and psychic warfare. While arcane power has its uses, it's the repeatable, regimented application of psychic and martial skill that forms the foundation of Strathcan military doctrine.

Operatives are selected for their adaptability, grit, and ability to execute high-risk missions with minimal backup. Whether navigating red zones, performing surgical strikes, or holding the line during psychic incursions, these soldiers blend traditional Canadian martial values with the cutting-edge protocols of post-apocalyptic warfare.

Writer’s Note:  The following are mainly included to make it easier to build a character with a Strathcan Militia backstory.

Core Class: Adventurer

The Adventurer serves as the militia’s all-purpose asset: scout, infiltrator, sapper, survivalist, and combat specialist. These operatives thrive in chaotic terrain, where the chain of command might be broken and the only backup is two sectors out. Militia Adventurers often lead recon teams, sabotage missions, and black-ops incursions—whatever the mission, they get it done.

Adventurer Paths

Prowler – Stealth Specialist / Infiltrator

Codename Format: Shadow-[Name], Ghost-[Callsign]
Role: Black ops, infiltration, target elimination

Summary:
Prowlers are the invisible hand of the Strathcan Militia. Masters of silent movement and sabotage, they specialize in bypassing wards and sensors to eliminate threats before alarms are tripped. When the mission calls for discretion, deniability, and precision, Prowlers are deployed.

Common Loadout:
Silenced SMG, collapsible blade, sensor jammer, grappling rig
Allies: Mentalists (for psi-shielding), Commanders (for op planning)

Scout – Wilderness Specialist / Recon Ranger

Codename Format: Pathfinder, Trail, Longpaw
Role: Long-range recon, survival ops, anomaly tracking

Summary:
Scouts are ghost-quiet rangers trained to survive and navigate the wildest zones. Whether charting magical fractures or stalking psychic anomalies, Scouts are the Militia’s eyes beyond the map.

Common Loadout:
Scoped lever-action rifle, survival gear, occult compass
Allies: Garterfolk, Little Bears, Wild-born Humans

Scrap Foot – Vehicle Expert / Convoy Escort

Codename Format: Torque, Skidmark, Crash Saint
Role: Driver, outrider, high-speed logistics

Summary:
Scrap Foots handle everything with wheels, tracks, or thrusters. Whether blazing extraction under fire or escorting critical supplies through mutant-infested corridors, they are the Militia's motorized vanguard.

Common Loadout:
Custom hoverbike or Striker LAV, sawed-off repeater, road rig
Traits: High DEX, mid CHA, low patience
Allies: Brutes (muscle), Deadeyes (gunners), Rockers (morale ops)

Troubleshooter – Field Engineer / Demolitions Expert

Codename Format: Wrench, Static, Boomstick
Role: Tech support, bomb disposal, field improvisation

Summary:
Troubleshooters are the answer to both mechanical and mystical hazards. From disarming cursed mines to jerry-rigging psychic dampeners, they’re indispensable when things go sideways.

Common Loadout:
Tool harness, handheld plasma torch, remote charges
Allies: Gnomes, Beaverfolk, Dwarves, Faustian Mechanics

Core Class: Combatant

Where the Adventurer operates with flexibility, the Combatant thrives on force. Strathcan Combatants serve as field leaders, frontline warriors, and morale pillars. They are disciplined, decisive, and trained to function under immense psychic and physical pressure.

Combatant Path: Commander – Tactical Officer / Squad Leader

Codename Format: Boss-[Name], Quarter-[Name], The [Moniker] (e.g., The Anvil)
Role: Team leadership, tactical coordination, morale control

Summary:
Commanders hold the line and forge order from chaos. From frontline engagements to riftstorm patrols, they rally squads and ensure that missions succeed—even when the odds say otherwise.

Key Duties:

• Order Implementation: Boost allies or interrupt enemies
• Tactical Planning: Optimize terrain, resources, and actions
• Morale Stabilization: Resist dissonance and horror effects

Common Loadout:
Smart helmet, repeating pistol, HUD projector, stun baton
Variants:

• Tactician: Focused on positioning and suppression
• Inspiring: Boosts morale and resists fear
• Logistics: Enhances supply and support management

Allies: Mentalists, Troubleshooters, Deadeyes, Brutes

Deadeye – Longshot Marksman / Threat Neutralizer

Codename Format: Coldshot, Longview, Quiet Jack
Role: Sniper, overwatch, anti-mage support

Summary:
Deadeyes carry the weight of Old Canada's long-range legends. With a single shot, they neutralize monsters, mages, and chaos. Paired with Prowlers or Scouts, they alter battles before they begin.

Field Duties:

• Precision kills on anomalies or leaders
• Zone denial across redzones
• Counter-psionic sniping

Loadout:
Ghostline rifle or railgun, breath mask, ballistics journal, null rounds

Cultural Note:
Deadeyes are quietly revered—memorial walls list their kills, and recruits study sniper saints like Francis Pegahmagabow and Rob Furlong.

Sample Call Signs:
Icehole, Maple Fang, Echo Dancer, Rook

Core Class: Psychic

Magic is messy. Psychics, however, can be trained, standardized, and deployed. That’s why Strathcan invests heavily in psychic warfare units.

Mentalist – Psi-Core Support / Telepathic Overwatch

Codename Format: Gray-[Name], Mind-[Callsign]
Role: Psychic relay, threat detection, anti-anomaly support

Summary:
Mentalists are the Militia’s invisible comms, early warning systems, and anomaly spotters. In zones riddled with psychic distortion, they're often the only line between stability and madness.

Capabilities:

• Read surface thoughts
• Shield allies from confusion/fear
• Disrupt enemy psychic powers
• Relay orders telepathically
• Form psychic links with other Mentalists

Gear:
Neural wraps, psionic focus, “quiet helm,” sparkstick

Special Protocol:
All Mentalists undergo weekly screenings for possession, emotional bleed, or rogue thoughtforms.

Psi-Warrior – Psychic Vanguard / Squad Anchor

Codename Format: Mindguard, Psi-Lock, Bastion Blue
Role: Psionic shield, frontline anchor, anomaly suppressor

Summary:
Psi-Warriors are mind-forged bunkers. Immune to panic, resistant to magic, and trained to walk through psychic fire, they keep squads grounded amid mental warfare.

Key Roles:

• Shield against psionic intrusion
• Break psychic zones
• Anchor squads under mental duress
• Guard command units

Loadout:
Shock weapon, amplifier harness, “Grey Wall” manual, riot-style shield

Deployment:

• Fireteams: Psychic tank
• Squads: Morale/mental integrity officer
• Strike Teams: Leads Mentalist-augmented breach ops

 

Class / Path	Recommended Species
Adventurer - Prowler	Garterfolk, Little Bears, Humans, Gnomes
Adventurer - Troubleshooter	Beaverfolk, Dwarves, Gnomes, MLFs
Adventurer - Scout	Garterfolk, Little Bears, Humans, Ungo
Adventurer - Scrap Foot	Beaverfolk, Haraak, MLFs, Gnomes
Combatant - Commander	Humans, Dwarves, Haraak, Gnomes
Combatant - Deadeye	Humans, MLFs, Garterfolk, Ungo, Dwarves
Psy-Core - Mentalist	Humans, Little Bears, Gnomes, Garterfolk
Psy-Core - Psi-Warrior	Haraak, Ungo, MLFs, Humans

 

Equipment

Weapons

C-79 “Crux” Rifle

Type: Assault Rifle (Martial Ranged)
Description:
The Crux is the Strathcan Militia's modern standard-issue rifle. It is modeled after the old-world C7/C8 design but modified with post-Hodgepocalypse upgrades. Its lightweight polymer casing, rune-bonded firing core, and optional optic suite make it a reliable mainstay for infantry units. It balances versatility with deadly precision and can fire semi-automatic and controlled burst fire.

Use:
Standard frontline weapon, used by infantry, support squads, and watch post units. Often, the first weapon recruits train on.

Hawk Mk.1 Knife

Type: Combat Knife
Description:
More than a simple blade, the Hawk Mk.1 is a field multipurpose knife used for cutting, digging, fighting, and enchanting. Its curved edge, weighted handle, and steel-forged spine make it a brutal close-quarters option. With proper rites or applied rune kits, it can channel minor arcane energy for precise strikes.

Use:
Carried by nearly every infantry unit. G.A.H.A.S. units and arc-tech engineers often use them to carve field sigils or inscribe battle glyphs.

“Kestral” Shotpike

Type: Shotgun-Spear Hybrid (Martial Melee/Ranged)
Description:
The Kestral is an ingenious blend of pump-action shotgun and bayonet spear, a field-engineered solution for brutal close-quarters combat. Engineers and breachers swear by its versatility—it can easily punch holes in walls or enemies. Reinforced barrel grooves allow it to be used as a melee weapon without damaging the action.

Use:
Favored by field engineers, tunnel fighters, and melee-capable infantry. Often issued to units expecting ambushes or boarding actions.

M3 “Badger” Revolver

Type: Heavy Pistol
Description:
The M3 “Badger” is a six-round heavy revolver chambered for old-world stopping power. Designed with simplicity and field repair in mind, it's a favorite among officers and veterans who value reliability over volume. It features an oversized cylinder, ergonomic grips, and a recoil-dampening frame, making it the weapon that stays long past standard issue with its wielder.

Use:
Sidearm of choice for Strathcan officers, forward scouts, and duelists. Often used as a last-resort equalizer or ceremonial sidearm.

 

MP5 “Canid” SMG

Type: Submachine Gun (Martial Ranged)
Description:
The Canid is a compact, fast-cycling submachine gun designed for tight corridors, urban skirmishes, and vehicle crews. It is based loosely on the MP5 family and features lightweight casing, simplified maintenance protocols, and a burst limiter toggle. Though it lacks stopping power at range, it excels at suppressive fire and sudden strikes.

Use:
Commonly issued to medics, vehicle crews, and base security teams. Its small size makes it ideal for dense environments or quick response forces.

 

R93 Repeater

Type: Lever-Action Rifle (Simple Ranged)
Description:
The R93 is a durable lever-action rifle that's stood the test of time—and several apocalypses. Often salvaged from rural caches or handed down through militia families, it’s favored by scouts and survivalists. While it lacks automatic fire, its sturdy construction and surprising range make it ideal for patrols in uneven terrain.

Use:
Used in recon units, wilderness patrols, and by sharpshooters who value simplicity and silence. Sometimes modified with suppressors or wood-burned kill tallies.

 

Railgun Slab Carbine

Type: Prototype Electromagnet Rifle (Advanced Unit)
Description:
Built from salvaged mag-rail cores and wrapped in insulation, the Slab Carbine channels devastating electromagnetic force through dense metal slugs. Each shot creates a thunderclap and leaves a plasma-smoked trail. Deployed only among advanced G.A.H.A.S. squads or elite strike forces, it is as dangerous to its target as it is to wield improperly.

Use:
Used by elite troopers and testbed units for breach, suppression, or anti-tech missions. Cannot be mass-produced; each unit is custom-built.

 

Sparkstick Baton

Type: Electrified Club
Description:
The Sparkstick is a collapsible baton modified with low-energy arc coils, designed for crowd control and nonlethal takedowns—with a twist. At the flick of a thumb switch, it emits a crackling charge that delivers a burst of thunder damage. Originally developed for psyops operatives, it's now seen widespread adoption in riot teams and escort patrols.

Use:
Standard issue for MPs, medics in hostile zones, and any unit expected to subdue without lethal force and also rumored to disrupt low-level psychic effects.

 

Standard Armor

GAHAS Skinweave Suit

Type: Natural/Unarmored
AC: 13 + Con
Description:
The Skinweave Suit is grown—not manufactured—for Bastion-Class and other GAHAS units. Bio-enhanced fibers blend into the user’s skin, forming a dermal lattice that enhances survivability without restricting movement. While it offers no layering over external armor, it allows shield use and operates like living tissue.

Use:
Exclusive to GAHAS supersoldiers. Not compatible with other armor but often used in conjunction with defensive shields or exo-grafts.

 

Modular Composite Vest (MCV)

Type: Light Armor
AC: 13 + Dex
Description:
The Modular Composite Vest is the most commonly issued armor across the Strathcan Militia. It features ceramic insert plates layered with rune-bonded mesh and soft armor weave. Lightweight yet durable, the MCV strikes a balance between mobility and survivability, featuring modular pouches, mag-lock harnesses, and space for tech upgrades.

Use:
Worn by regular infantry, engineers, and specialists who require flexibility and protection. Compatible with personal radio harnesses and environmental gear.

 

Reactive Shell Harness (RSH)

Type: Medium Armor
AC: 15 + Dex (max 2)
Description:
Engineered for heavy infantry and officers, the Reactive Shell Harness uses a gel-packed internal lining to absorb concussive force and reduce trauma. The thick plating is heavier than standard vests, but integrates bracing harnesses and kinetic dampeners—essential for those on the front lines of firestorms and psychic shockwaves.

Use:
Standard for assault squads, front-line command, and GAHAS troopers in direct combat roles. Worn with reinforced helmets and nerve-dampening gloves.

 

Patchwork Raider Rig

Type: Light Armor
AC: 12 + Dex
Description:
No two Raider Rigs are exactly the same. Assembled from scavenged plating, broken vests, and salvaged riot gear, these rigs represent both necessity and personality. Often adorned with tokens, charms, and personal symbols, they’re common among militia auxiliaries, irregulars, or units operating without formal supply chains.

Use:
Favored by scouts, irregular troops, and militia-trained civilians. Often upgraded with field charms, scrap armor plating, or minor magical symbols.

 

Strathcan Militia Vehicle Roster

“If it’s got wheels and armor, we’ll drive it ‘til it explodes—and then mount the engine on something else.”
– Chief Mechanist Blondlot “Euclidia”

Cougar 6x6

• Origin: Canadian MRAP vehicle modified for command use.
• Purpose: Armored coordination platform for psy-ops, strategy, and leadership roles.
• Use: Rolling HQ equipped with map tables, encrypted comms, and hardened sensors. Ideal centerpiece for military leaders.

Deuce & a Half

• Origin: Classic military 2.5-ton trucks.
• Purpose: Salvage transport, convoy duty, and cultural relic.
• Use: Still rolling after decades. Often operated by veteran crews or nostalgic units. Great for cinematic escapes and underdog missions.

Grizzly IFV

• Origin: Heavily armed infantry fighting vehicle from pre-Hodgepocalypse stock.
• Purpose: Heavy troop support and battlefield dominance.
• Use: When factions need to make a statement—or end a standoff with overwhelming force. Often used as a boss-fight centerpiece or siege breaker.

M113 APC

• Origin: Pre-Hodgepocalypse armored personnel carriers.
• Purpose: Troop protection and fortified movement.
• Use: Known for durability and ease of maintenance. Often retrofitted as mobile labs, sanctuaries, or zombie-proof bunkers.

Mosquito Gunpod

Nickname: “One pilot, two rockets, three prayers.”

• Origin: Stripped-down medivac drones or gyrocopters with reinforced cockpits.
• Purpose: Hit-and-run air raids, psychological intimidation, and light aerial suppression.
• Use: Buzzes low over enemy lines to disrupt formations and morale.
• Visual: Compact airframe with rocket pods, oil-slick smoke trails, and red lightning decals. Pilots wear full-body wraps and welding goggles.
• Armament: Twin rocket tubes and a foot-pedal-controlled swivel auto-gun.

Mule

Nickname: “Carry all, survive most.”

• Origin: 6-wheeled utility vehicle with rugged off-road capability.
• Purpose: Versatile logistics hauler used in salvage runs, med-evac operations, and resupply missions.
• Use: A go-to for rough terrain and dangerous zones. Outfitted with radiation shielding, winch arms, and Faraday cage wiring.

 Railwagon

Nickname: “The Ironrunner”

• Origin: Repurposed train engines armored into mobile fortresses.
• Purpose: Heavy fire support and supply transport in areas with intact rail infrastructure.
• Use: Deployed in Moose Jaw and Prairie Atlantis. Armed with mounted howitzers and drone launchers for mobile artillery coverage.

Skycrier Drone

Nickname: “The voice of authority in the clouds.”

• Origin: Converted news/weather drones repurposed for battlefield psy-ops.
• Purpose: Psychological warfare, disinformation, and sonic disruption.
• Use: Deployed to project false commands, unsettling sounds, or military orders across enemy lines.
• Visual: Paraboloid frame with glowing sensor eye, four rotors, and a voice emitter that crackles with distorted commands.
• Abilities: Forces Wisdom saves vs fear/confusion; used to fake troop movement or simulate artillery barrages.

Striker-Class LAV (Light Armored Vehicle)

Nickname: “The Backbone”

• Origin: Based on pre-Hodgepocalypse Canadian LAV III and LAV 6.0 designs.
• Purpose: Troop transport, mobile fire support, and battlefield command relay.
• Use: Standard deployment vehicle for Strathcan forces. Flexible enough for direct assaults, convoy defense, or command operations.
• Variants:
• Striker-Alpha: Basic APC with reinforced plating and roof hatch.
• Striker-Bruiser: Modular turret mount (HMG or auto-cannon).
• Striker-Chariot: Command and signal relay variant with deployable comms mast.
• Striker-Wraith: Rare stealth version with noise-dampening foam and light-bending plating.

Triage Roller

• Origin: Converted ambulances or food trucks retrofitted for warzone medicine.
• Purpose: Frontline medical stabilization and trauma response.
• Use: Moves with battle groups to recover wounded. Outfitted with bunks, blood storage, surgical kits, and trauma lights.

Wren-Class Skywagon

s

Nickname: “A pickup with wings and too much duct tape.”

• Origin: Salvaged cargo choppers and tiltrotors retrofitted with scavenged engines.
• Purpose: Quick-response aerial deployment and emergency evacuation.
• Use: Delivers troops or medics into danger zones, then performs vertical extraction. Often escorted by Mosquito or Strathkite units.
• Visual: Rust-patched belly, cloth-reinforced rotors, open side cabins with harnesses, and eclectic interior shrines or medical gear.
• Features: Dual side doors, two light door guns, and netted storage for crates.

Strathcan Militia: Western Field s & Recruitment Zones

Each location is part of a field , with a designated command post, specific threats, and a favored recruitment doctrine. These s often blend military operations with cultural integration, serving as the cradle for recruits into the Militia.

High Command – Ed-Town

Codename: The Bannerhold
Recruitment Style: National service, elite academy induction, and legacy postings

Overview:
Ed-Town serves as the de facto capital of the Strathcan Militia, a command nexus where psychic warfare doctrine, military culture, and strategic decisions coalesce. It is home to the Sanctum Castellum, a fortress-like institution built atop a government ruin known for black-site experiments, now repurposed into a psionic academy. Recruits hail from prestigious bloodlines, rigorous academy trials, or are chosen by aptitude lotteries, then undergo physical and mental crucibles to earn their place. There is a rumor that Strathcan Elite officers often undergo the Oath of Iron and Flame, becoming part of the collective psychic gestalt that guides the Militia's core, but this is currently unfounded.

Plot Hook (Communication):
A rogue mindprint—an unstable psychic echo of a former commander—has begun broadcasting corrupted protocols into secure channels. The party must trace the signal, contain the threat, and determine whether it’s sabotage, legacy memory drift, or something far stranger.

 Fringe Delta – Prairie Atlantis

Codename: The Drowned Bastion
Recruitment Style: Invitation-only deployment, honor-bound initiations, field commendations, and relic-based rank promotions

Overview:

The Drowned Bastion rises like a crowned relic from the submerged bones of Calgary—an armored monastery-stronghold gifted to the Strathcan Militia by the surviving arcane guilds of Prairie Atlantis. In exchange for continued containment of the Terrorsaur Containment Zone (TCZ)—a volatile rift to the Hallowed Earth—they were granted permission to establish a permanent chapter here: the Iron Current Regiment.

This isn't a simple garrison. The Order views the TCZ as a divine proving ground, where monsters of the past return to test the strength of the present. Every terrorsaur killed earns the slayer a mark. Every captured relic is enshrined. Each knight-militant carries a sigil blade encoded with psychic telemetry and engraved kill-records. Promotions are awarded not by paperwork, but by recovered bones, roarshock survivals, and booming resonance chants.

Despite this, the Order's success in stabilizing the TCZ is undeniable. The shock towers, tide-gates, and deep-rigged monitoring crèches have drastically reduced terrorsaur incursions into the flooded districts.

But with each moon, the roar from the depths changes tone… and the halls grow restless.

Plot Hook (Communication):

The Chamber of the Resonant Fang detects a new harmonic pattern beneath the TCZ. It matches the screamprint of a long-dead beast—one supposedly entombed beneath the city’s old science center. The Order dispatches a knight-candidate team (the PCs) to confirm the anomaly… but the signal originates from beneath hostile cult territory, where a rogue faction has built a sonar shrine that might be resurrecting extinct nightmares for reasons unknown.

 Westgate Command

Codename: The Harvest Line
Recruitment Style: Community loyalty; "Young Rangers" civic militia program
 

Overview:
Located between Edson and Hinton,  Westgate is a balance point between civilization and elemental chaos. The Militia’s joint command here rotates leadership each Harvest Days festival, where locals participate in the Harvest Games—an event that now doubles as a recruitment trial. With tensions between coal-burning and wood-burning communities simmering, and elemental incursions from the old mines growing more frequent, peacekeeper units must navigate diplomacy, ecology, and insurgency.

Plot Hook (Communication):
A Harvest Days official goes missing during the Games. The party must escort a new delegation, uncover sabotage, and discover the real reason the coal reserves are humming with forbidden energy.

 LatNorth Command

Codename: The Slick Frontier
Recruitment Style: Hazard bonus conscription and oil-for-gear enlistment deals
 

Overview:
Fort Mac is an unforgiving resource zone at the northern edge of Strathcan territory. Those brave—or desperate—enough to sign on here face the threat of sentient sludge oozes, illegal oil guilds, and bizarre psychic effects from the crystal forests.  LatNorth offers high-risk, high-reward assignments, often granting gear, land rights, or combat bonuses for survival. Oozewranglers and psychic hazmat teams are common here, hardened by constant exposure to environmental trauma.

Plot Hook (Communication):
A data packet from a lost ooze-wrangling crew contains frantic logs describing a speaking ooze that remembers past lives. The Militia sends the party to determine if it's a threat, an anomaly, or a breakthrough.

 Fort Vermin Quarantine Zone

Codename: The Bugland Expanse
Recruitment Style: Psi-vetted volunteers, punishment detail candidates, or grief-sworn operatives (those who've lost kin to the Swarm)
 

Overview:

Deep in the northern hinterlands of former Alberta, where the land has been twisted into a hyper-colored, pheromone-choked bog, the Strathcan Militia maintains a tenuous foothold: Fort Vermin. This outpost, once a routine monitoring relay, now serves as the front line against the spread of the Void Covenant. This caste-based, dimension-hopping insectoid empire terraforms entire biomes into surreal, hive-like structures.

Here, the war isn’t fought with conventional tactics. The Void speaks not in sound, but in chemical pheromonal pulses that command, control, and corrupt. Entire battalions have vanished without a shot fired. Those who return speak of scent-driven madness, resonant towers that hum inside the skull, and dragonfly gunships that move like dancers before melting minds and flesh alike.

To even be assigned to LatDeep Command, one must undergo psychic screening. Many are punished here. Others volunteer out of debt, trauma, or fascination. All are changed.

Fort Vermin operates under a doctrine of:

• Watch and Withstand: Strike missions are rare; most efforts are containment and recon.
• Data Pilgrimage: All expeditions must wear record-crystals that capture emotional, psychic, and chemical telemetry. These are stored in the Vault of Residual Thought.
• Burn Before Breach: Protocols dictate firebombing of all outposts if scent-signals of a swarm surge are detected.

A strange religious subculture has formed within the ranks here. Some believe the Void Covenant is not a threat but a test of purity, and seek communion through controlled exposure. The Militia tolerates these mystics—for now.

Plot Hook (Communication):

A long-range Militia watch drone transmits haunting footage: a Gunship Dragonfly, long presumed lost, walking on two legs—with a human gait—across the fungal canopy. Its movement suggests consciousness, maybe even mimicry. The squad sent to investigate never returned.

Now the PCs are tasked with:

• Recovering the memory crystals of the lost squad,
• Identifying whether the biomechanical hybrid is rogue, evolved, or infiltrated,
• And determining whether the Void is adapting… or already inside.

Northwatch Command

Codename: The Veil Line
Recruitment Style: Intelligence-driven infiltration or defectors from Cybercult
 

Overview:
Operating in Grande Prairie and Sexsmith, Northwatch is the frontline in the war against cybercult infiltration. Though GP is not under Militia jurisdiction, sleeper cells coordinate resistance from Sexsmith and beyond. Agents are selected for deep-cover skills, often defectors or trauma-screened operatives. Code Prophets and rogue AIs are common enemies, with ALGORITHMUS being the most infamous—an evolving digital god trying to "reform" the world.

Plot Hook (Communication):
The rogue radio station in Sexsmith broadcasts a cipher the Militia can't crack—possibly a warning or a summoning. The party must secure the station and uncover who’s really behind the signal.

 Ironroot Command

Codename: The Forge Line
Recruitment Style: Veteran smiths, dwarven iron-priests, elite human defenders sworn to the Oath of Flame
 

Overview:

Guildon Bastion, deep within the peaks near Golden, stands as the last line of steel and fire before the unstable fey-touched volcanic realms known as the Ashward Reach. It is both a foundry of weapons and a fortress of the spirit, held by the Ironroot Militia, a hybrid order of Strathcan veterans, dwarven forge-mystics, and chosen oathbound defenders.

This is not a casual post—those who serve here are called by flame and duty. Weapons crafted within the Forge Line are more than steel—they are baptized in molten soul-slurry, anointed with runes of binding, and often linked to their wielder’s will. Every warrior is required to forge their own blade or gauntlet as part of their induction. Those who fail the ritual return home in silence.

Their primary threat is the Way of the Ash, a growing cult centered around a being known as the Ashen King, who sends dreams of madness, self-immolation, and volcanic worship to would-be converts. These fire-warped elves and dream-broken humans wield lava-slick sorcery, ash-borne diseases, and uncontrolled flame elementals.

To the Ironroot, fire is sacred, but must be bound. Their greatest fear is flame without purpose—the hallmark of the Ashen King.

Plot Hook (Communication):

The Grand Crucible—Guildon’s central forge—begins to hum with harmonic tones during a full moon. A newly captured Ash Elf defector, still half-lost in dream-speech, whispers that the tone is a summoning—a “calling home” from the Ashen King.

The Militia dispatches a trusted team (the PCs) to:

• Decipher the forge-tones without triggering a runaway ignition,
• Determine if the Ash Elf can be rehabilitated, or if their madness is contagious,
• Or—if the harmonic is a dreamgate signal, seal the breach before a firestorm army marches through the forge itself.

 Battleford Command

Codename: Twinwatch Divide
Recruitment Style: Civic volunteerism, trade defense pacts, Beaverfolk apprenticeship exchanges
 

Overview:
The Battlefords straddle the North Saskatchewan River, serving as a crossroads between civilization and chaos. West Battleford acts as a militia-friendly trade outpost, while East Battleford—home to the proud Beaverfolk—is a fortress of log walls, mechanical sluices, and guarded canals. Tensions simmer over an underwater ruin believed to house lost tech. Still, both sides recognize the necessity of cooperation in the face of external threats from Genefield to the east.

Plot Hook (Communication):
An encrypted transmission is intercepted coming from beneath the riverbed, possibly from an awakened machine intelligence. The party is dispatched to determine its origin and mediate before either Battleford claims it unilaterally.

Crossroad Command Lloyd

Codename: The Pulse Fringe
Recruitment Style: Voluntary enlistment from the arts community, rhythmic aptitude screening
 

Overview:
Lloyd, a once-divided town on the old Alberta–Saskatchewan border, now thrives as a vibrant cultural experiment under the self-proclaimed “New Utopia” of Tall Yana and the Wannabees. Music, light, and raw emotion shape both politics and psychic resonance here. The Militia operates through soft influence, respecting the unique power of Lloyd’s social structure but wary of rogue frequencies capable of destabilizing more than just morale.

Plot Hook (Communication):
Tall Yana sends a rhythmic distress call encoded in music. Something is hijacking Lloyd’s beat-streams, and only an outsider immune to the city’s tempo can trace it.

Keystone Command

Codename: The Buried Nexus
Recruitment Style: Academic enlistment, fey-guided internships, relic excavator contracts
 

Overview:
Flin Flon has become a mythic technomagical archive carved into old mine shafts and ancient machinery. Now ruled by the eccentric Professor Flintabbaty Flonatin, the settlement draws fey, scholars, and treasure hunters from across the land. Whether Flonatin is a resurrected historical figure or a story made manifest, his command of buried technology cannot be denied. The Militia sends observers but avoids provocation.

Plot Hook (Communication):
A prototype relic activates and begins broadcasting coordinates in a long-dead language. Professor Flonatin invites a neutral third party to mediate access rights before factions tear the vault apart.

Cameron Falls Haven

Codename: The Steam Rest
Recruitment Style: Pilgrim sponsorship, healer-veteran exchanges, hospitality rotations
 

Overview:
Nestled near the falls, Cameron Haven serves as a neutral retreat for diplomats, veterans, and weary travelers. Protected by ritual oaths and geothermal blessings, it’s considered neutral ground. The Militia rotates peacekeeping agents through short tours here to recharge, negotiate, or recover. However, its peace often masks high-stakes diplomacy beneath the surface.

Plot Hook (Communication):
An envoy from a hostile faction collapses upon arrival, claiming betrayal. The party must unravel the truth before the Haven’s neutrality is shattered.

Fort Providence

Codename: The River Gate
Recruitment Style: Lineage oaths, toll guardianship, crisis drafting
Image Prompt: Fortress-town hugging a wide river, watchtowers on both shores, barge checkpoints, glowing runes on riverstones, heavy gates operated by winding mills and prayer wheels

Overview:
Fort Providence, known as The Crossing, holds strategic control over the major riverways between the north and south. Its defenses are legendary, blending old-world engineering and modern rune technology. It is a stronghold against Void incursions and rogue cults trying to reach the Arctic circuits. Despite their isolation, their defenders possess high morale and deeply rooted traditions.

Plot Hook (Communication):
A supply barge under Militia escort is missing. A single rune buoy drifts back downstream, pulsing an encoded request for sanctuary. The party must uncover what got through the Gate.

Fort Simpson

Codename: Sanctuary Point
Recruitment Style: Refugee integration, survivalist conscription, oath of renewal
 

Overview:
Located where two great rivers meet, Fort Simpson has become Sanctuary Point—a refuge for the displaced and desperate. Under Militia protection, it blends humanitarian aid with strategic defense. Psychic wardens and field medics are familiar here, enforcing security without undermining the town’s mission. Many recruits come from those who have been granted shelter, repaying it with their service.

Plot Hook (Communication):
A refugee child begins drawing maps of places they’ve never seen—marked with symbols of an ancient Militia order. The party must determine whether it’s prophecy, memory echo, or manipulation.

 

Strathcan Militia Base Template

This template outlines the standard organizational, infrastructural, and cultural elements of a Strathcan Militia Base, extrapolated from the Garrison of Gore model. It is designed for gamemasters to create consistent, flexible military bases across the Hodgepocalypse setting.

I. BASE STRUCTURE OVERVIEW

Purpose: Strathcan militia bases serve as multi-role defensive, logistical, and operational hubs. They support patrols, local civilian protection, supply lines, and region-specific operations.

Size Categories:

• Outpost (5–10 staff) – remote, tactical
• Standard Garrison (30–50 staff) – local operations HQ
• Command Base (100+ staff) – strategic hub, regional oversight

Base Perimeter:

• 12-foot wooden picket and concertina wire fence
• Sentry Towers (usually 2) with 360° visibility
• Checkpoint/Bunker Gate with barricades and auto-monitoring

II. COMMAND HIERARCHY & STAFFING

Typical Chain of Command:

• Commander (Brigadier/Major) – Strategic oversight
• Executive Officer (Major/Lt.) – Daily operations
• Field Operations Officer – Assignments, deployments
• Engineering Officer – Repairs, fieldwork, resource adaptation
• Medical Officer – Health & emergencies
• Morale Officer/Counselor – Mental health and mediation

Support Roles:

• Logistics & Supply Clerks
• Scouts and Recon Teams
• Sentry Gunners/Snipers
• Maintenance and Sanitation

III. STANDARDIZED LOCATIONS

1. Headquarters (Command Bunker): Center for radio transmissions, strategic meetings, and dispatch. Reinforced structure.

2. Barracks (Junior and Senior Ranks): Separated housing. Junior ranks often share open quarters. Senior officers have small private rooms.

3. Recreation Hall: Includes games, old electronics, darts/pool, and morale posters. Optional: secret files/blackmail material hidden here.

4. Assignment Office: Liaison point with adventurers and outside help. Handles bounties, contracts, and debriefs.

5. Engineering Services: Workshop area for improvised weapons, field tools, and makeshift vehicle repairs.

6. Medical Bay: Operates as triage and quarantine. Includes recovery rooms and controlled meds stockpile.

7. Vehicle Hangar: Houses Strikers (APCs), converted pickups, and fuel stores. Usually guarded 24/7.

8. Watch Towers: Two towers minimum. Contain sniping gear, launchers, radios, and emergency descent poles.

9. Field Training Zone (Drills Yard): Open cemented courtyard for demonstrations, drills, and emergency mustering.

10. Diner/Mess Facility: Combines chow hall with public interaction space. Optional: used as neutral ground or hidden info source.

11. Resource Depot (Gull Yard): Garbage/recycling dump; often doubled as fertilizer or explosive prep site. May attract scavenger creatures.

12. Post Office / Communications Hub: Processes internal/external mail. May house informants or encrypted messages.

Optional Facilities:

• Golf Minefield (training course/dead zone)
• Psychic Evaluation Center (for psionic units or threats)
• Prison Block (for internal discipline and POWs)

IV. TACTICAL & CULTURAL DOCTRINES

Core Philosophies:

• Improvisation over Perfection: Build, adapt, overcome.
• Sniper Efficiency: One bullet can change a war.
• Jury-Rigging as Culture: If it’s broken, fix it. If it can’t be fixed, weaponize it.
• Professional Manners: Clean speech, upright bearing – even under fire.

Training Techniques:

• Live ammo drills (controversial but effective)
• Hazing through simulated danger zones (e.g., minefields)
• Tinkering competitions for engineering teams
• Moral resilience exercises via counselors

Common Personnel Traits:

• Each staff member has a code name and informal "jingle"
• Heavy use of GAHAS (genetically engineered) soldiers, usually Half-Orcs
• Recognition of psychological and physical strain in long-term deployments

V. BASE SEEDING TOOLKIT (ROLL TABLE)

D20: Key Feature or Oddity

1. Explosive training gone wrong
2. Missing scout with ominous clues
3. Haunted or corrupted item in depot
4. Drill instructor possessed by strange urge
5. Sentry tower shows signs of sabotage
6. Junk pile came to life
7. Psychic message from unknown source
8. Underground passage discovered
9. NPC starts broadcasting Chuck’s voice
10. Mural or structure is an Art Aberration
11. External faction attempts infiltration
12. Weapon cache replaced with decoys
13. Disappearance in the rec hall
14. Rogue striker vehicle loose on grounds
15. New recruit knows too much
16. Experimental GAHAS unit returns... altered
17. Psychic field spike fries comms
18. Routine paperwork contains dark prophecy
19. Improvised farm tool turns into war relic
20. Officer insists something is watching from the walls

VI. REUSING THE TEMPLATE

To create a new militia base:

• Choose region: Forest, Wasteland, Urban, Tundra
• Adjust aesthetic: Swap materials (brick → corrugated iron, wood → resincrete)
• Pick 1–3 key traits from Tactical Doctrines
• Randomize 1d4 aberrations and 1d2 infiltration vectors
• Populate with adapted NPCs based on needs (Sniper Chief, Paranoid Medic, Burned-Out Commander, etc.)